Famous People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Famous People - Essay Example This paper argues that the famous people deserve to have a private life without journalists following them at all times. Famous people and private life One of the prominent figures of the twentieth century, Princess Diana, wife of Prince Charles, died in a car accident in 1997 when the paparazzi or yellow newspaper journalists followed her for knowing more about her private life. â€Å"Later tests showed the driver had been well over the legal alcohol limit, but immediate blame was on the photographers and their seemingly incessant quest to capture images of Diana that could be sold to the press†(Lewis, 2011). In other words, Princess Diana suffered death because of the over ambitions of the paparazzi to make more money by selling hot news about the private life of Diana. Diana and her newly found friend Dodi were inside the car and the photographers followed or chased Diana’s car in an attempt to take hot pictures which resulted in the car accident. The above incident clearly shows that there are instances in which famous people forced to face death because of the unethical behaviors of the journalists. Nobody likes to reveal anything about their private life. Famous people spend most of their times in the lime lights of the media.

Bariatric Surgery: Types and Applications

Bariatric Surgery: Types and Applications The rise of bariatric surgery is partly due to the epidemic of obesity in the United States. Because of this epidemic, the number of bariatric surgeries in 2003 was near 103,000. This number was up from 16,000 in 1992. Americans have increased in extreme obesity. Lack of exercise, failure of diets, the desire to want everything right now, has fueled the explosion of the medical procedure. There are so many obese people who are faced with weight induced disease and health complications such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, high LDL cholesterol, stroke, hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints), sleep apnea and other breathing problems. Those with these weight induced diseases have found that bariatric surgery can make many of these issues dissipate. Medical professionals are now even considering reducing the weight guidelines for bariatric surgery for people with these medical issues. Although the surgery has given a new lease on life to many, it is imperative that we remember that the procedure is a surgery. Basically, bariatrics is a field of medicine take specializes in treating obesity. When a patient undergoes bariatric surgery, they undergo a type of operation that should help promote weight loss. At this time, only those who suffer from severe obesity qualify for bariatric surgery. The results that are desired from bariatric surgery is to produce weight loss in the patient by restricting food intake by through a surgical process. There are currently four kinds of operations that are offered in the United States at this time. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and adjustable gastric band (AGB) are all types of bariatric surgeries. Each type of surgery has risks and benefits. Each patient must decide with their doctor which option will work better for them. Generally food will move along the digestive tract as enzymes and juices absorb nutrients along with calories. The stomach can hold aro und three pints of food at a time. After leaving the stomach, digestion speeds up. Food moves from the duodenum, to the rest of the 20 foot long small intestine. The food that has not been digested once the food reaches the large intestine is stored there until elimination. Bariatric surgery makes some type of change to this process, in order to promote weight loss. Jejunoileal Bypass was the first operation created just to cause a patient to lose weight. This surgery was first performed at the University of Minnesota in the 1950s. Physicians no longer recommend a Jejunoileal Bypass as a bariatric surgical procedure. The risk that come with global, permanent and severe malabsorption was thought to be too be to dangerous to the patient. This procedure must also be followed by vital, long term follow ups to be successful. Many patients had to have this procedure reversed in order to live. In this surgery, called JIB for short, the stomach is left intact. The bypass induces a state of malabsorption because it bypasses most of the intestines. This procedure may have given excellent weight loss to patients but many suffered from complications like vitamin A D deficiencies, protein calorie malnutrition, kidney stones and diarrhea. One major complication was the toxic overgrowth of intestinal bacteria. This caused problems like skin trouble, arthritis, flu-like symptoms and even liver failure. Thankfully, the jejunoileal bypass is no longer performed due to its life threatening metabolic consequences. Gastric Bypass was also developed in the late 1960s by Drs. Ito and Mason. It was developed from the observation of weight loss from patients that had undergone surgery for ulcers. In these surgeries, part of the patients stomach had to be removed. At first, surgeons performed the surgery with a loop bypass. It was soon recognized that this caused bile reflux. Physicians started performing the operation in 1977, with a piece of intestine that is now joined to a very small stomach. This is to keep bile from getting to the upper stomach and esophagus. This procedure is now called Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure or RYGBP. It is a mixed restrictive and malabsorptive procedure. The amount of intestine that is bypassed in this particular procedure is not enough to cause malabsorption of nutrients and proteins but the portion of intestine that is bypassed is the site where most of the absorption of iron and calcium should take place. Because of this, the most common long term complicatio n of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure is anemia and osteoporosis. Patients who undergo this procedure should prepare for using a mineral supplement long term. The way in which the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure works is multifaceted. It is thought that many of the behavioral changes patients feel after surgery has to do with hormone alterations and neural signals that are produced in the GI tract. Many patients feel a reduction in hunger and after they eat, feel full sooner. Many no longer suffer from bad food cravings and take a liking to healthy foods. Then there is a syndrome called dumping which is a sensitivity to sugar, that most patients experience. This may include palpitations, diarrhea, and other symptoms. These results happen within ten to thirty minutes of eating foods that consist of high amounts of sugar. In 1994, the Roux-Y gastric bypass was performed as a laparoscopic procedure and has quickly enhanced the surgery. Most patients lose less blood, have shortened hospital stays and less down time when they undergo the laparoscopic procedure, although the operation in more challenging and takes longer than the open procedure. The most common weight loss surgery is now the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure. Most patients say that they have an increase in their quality of life. It has been proven to result in a durable weight loss and improvement in obesity related comorbidities. Illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, liver disease, high blood pressure and many more have been proven to be control, improved or even cured. There is a procedure that uses gastric rings to control the size of the stoma in vertical banded gastroplasty. It is called the Ring Gastric Bypass. Surgeons use these rings to maintain the size of stoma and reduce stretching. This procedure has become a rational operation that is used to control obesity. With the ring functioning as the stoma, postprandial emesis is limited. The patient has the opportunity to eat various foods like meats and vegetables without problems. This surgery results in much more weight loss than in standard gastroplasty. Some complications of ring gastric bypass are marginal ulcers, stenosis, incisional hernia and staple line breakdown. In the surgery, biliopancreatic diversion, there is a change in normal digestion by making the stomach smaller and bypassing part of the small intestine, so that you take in less calories. There is a biliopancreatic diversion with or without a duodenal switch. In the biliopancreatic diversion surgery without the duodenal switch, some of the stomach is cut away. The remaining part of the stomach is then connected to the bottom part of the intestine. When surgeons do the duodenal switch, only a little part of the stomach is taken away. The rest of the stomach stays attached to the duodenum and then the duodenum is attached to the lower part of the small intestine. It is thought that this process would help to prevent ulcers. Because the duodenum is more tolerant of the acids from the stomach it is much more resistant to ulceration. Cutting away part of the stomach should help reduce the presence of acid. This surgery increases the amount of gastric restriction, helps the patient get th e right amount of protein, and decreases the dumping syndrome. Dumping is associated with this surgery as well, although it occurs less often with biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. Introduced in 1978, Gastric Banding is a purely restrictive bariatric procedure. Dr. Wilkinson developed a nonadjustable gastric banding to go around the upper part of the stomach. Ultimately, the dilatation of the pouch resulted in unsatisfactory weight loss. Dr. Molina, retried the gastric segmentation procedure in 1980. The stomach pouch was made smaller than in Dr. Wilkinsons procedure and a Dacron vascular graft was used to go around the upper stomach. This was eventually replaced because the graft adhered to the liver. Dr. Kusmak in 1983, used a band of silicone to go around the stomach to create a smaller stoma and smaller gastric pouch. In order to make the band adjustable this band was modified later. In 1986, Kuzmak created a silicone and with an inflatable balloon. The device was attached to a reservoir that is beaneath the skin, so that medical practitioners could adjust the band. When the balloon gets blown up, the band gets tighter and reduces weight. When the opposite happens to the balloon, the band gets loose and weight loss is reduced. This device can also be inserted laparascopically. At this time there are many types of adjustable bands available in the United States, none have been seen to be better than the other. In an adjustable band procedure, an intestinal bypass is not a part. Weight loss from restriction of food intake is how this procedure works. The impact on co-morbidities and rapid weight loss is less favorable when compared to the gastric bypass. There are groups who have had to undergo re-operation for long term complications. Some of the complications from this procedure are perforation, band erosion, hernia, band slippage, and a need for a revision. In the early 1970s gastroplasty was designed as a safer alternative to the RYGBP and the JIB. The first purely restrictive operation to treat obesity was made possible by mechanical staples. Riginally gastroplasty was done hotizontal and involved stapling the stomach into a small part by only leaving a small opening for food to pass between the upper to the lower stomach pouchs. This had very poor results for long term weight loss and was stopped. The vertical banded gastroplasty was then introduced. In this procedure there is a low mortality and deficiencies of micronutrients is virtually an abscent. Because of long term studies, VBG is being performed less often. Research shows that cases of weight regain and severe heartburn are high when compared to other procedures. There are many new, up and coming bariatric surgeries and trends in development stages. In 1996, Gastric pacing was first introduced in humans but is still considered experimental. It is an attempt to provide durable and significant weight loss that is non-malabsorptive and nonrestrictive. The mechanisim disrupts normal gastric myoelectrical activity, called an IGS, implantable gastric stimulator. Pulses are used to disrupt eating, causing you to feel full earlier. There have been setbacks with gastric pacing because of mechanical problems with the electrical leads. Clinical trials for this procedure are ongoing. The EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner, also known as the endoluminal sleeve, is now in the late-stage clinical trials. It is thought that patients may get the benefits of surgery with a simple sleeve, incredible. Data shows that obese individuals achieved almost normal blood sugar levels in a week with uncontrolled diabetes using the endoluminal sleeve liner. As more benefits of bariatric surgery come to light, there has been a push to offer it to more people with lower body mass indexes. As diabetes continues to increase, more people will turn to bariatric surgery for its curative powers. Also we will see an increase in programs for obese teens as studies are showing that surgery quickly improves heart health for them. Less invasive bariatric procedures are currently being developed. There is a procedure being developed called Transoral gastroplasty. In this procedure, surgeons hope to change the stomach anatomy without any cuts, so that after a small meal, patients will have a feeling of fullness. As the waistline of Americans continues to get larger, bariatric surgery will continue to increase and flourish. With increased knowledge and research, obesity has started to be seen as a molecular disease that has potential molecular explanations. As study continues, bariatric surgery will continue to advance. There may be a time when people will finally be able to avoid this intriguing and dangerous disease called obesity. Does Society Create Monsters? Analysis of Frankenstein Does Society Create Monsters? Analysis of Frankenstein Does Society create monsters or are we born that way? Society is the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community. Does society create monsters or are they formed when someone is born? People in the world love to fit in and do everything one can do to be perfect. Children grow up watching elders and people in the world doing things whether it is good or bad. When people watch someone do something and that person gets attention for it, everyone runs to do that certain thing or wear that certain outfit or talk that certain way because people love attention and now days people are willing to do anything for it. The monster showed significant signs to prove he tried to be good, by trying to help people. The story Frankenstein by Mary Shelly is a story about tragic events that happen because a creature is in need of love and attention, only because the monster sees people giving others love and attention. Victor Frankenstein creates a monster without knowing that there would be negative sides effects to this powerful creation. Not knowing everyone Frankenstein loved would die because of him not making the right choice. The monster never understood what it was like to be treated normal, the only person who even treated him nicely was an old blind man who had no idea what he looked like until his children came home and told him. So should one believe that he was born a monster or did society make him this way? The story A Modest Proposal shows that society can create monsters. The towns people had many problems; the biggest one of all was the children. Many people couldnt afford to have them causing people to lose money and then being forced to live on the streets. Finding a solution to this problem was very difficult but one guy did come up with one and many took it seriously. Many people thought that eating the children and infants would lower the population rate and less people would be forced to live on the streets, because they would have less people/children to fend for.   These mothers, instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in strolling to beg for sustenance for their helpless infants, who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbados. (Jonathon Swift) The quote above shows how desperate the mothers and p eople were because of the children. There is an honest question though; if one person had not come up with this idea would anybody else have thought about it? Is society to blame? Although Frankensteins monster made many mistakes and did kill several people because he wanted Frankenstein to be as unhappy as he was, does not mean that he did not have a good heart.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner the man sailing on the boat shoots the albatross for no reason but because he wanted to. God save thee, ancient mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! Why lookst thou so? With my crossbow I shot the albatross. (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) The mariner had no reason to shoot it, but because he thought it would be cool and a good idea, to please society. In all truths nobody really agreed with shooting the albatross and everyone got punished for this mistake that could have been prevented. Frankenstein was born and raised with parents who loved and supported him. Yes these people helped raise him and helped him become who he was but nobody forced him to be good or bad. A person could be born good or bad but society does have a big impact and helps one become who they will be for the rest of their life. The innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. (Mary Shelley) So the question still remains, does society create monsters or are the born that way? With the evidence above could only make one feel that the monster tried to be as good as possible but with the events happening he couldnt truly be happy and every time he tried to find happiness something bad ended up happening. The monster wasnt treated the way he should have been, if society would have treated him better would the monster have hurt all the people he did? Citation Page Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, Penguin Group, 1963 Swift, Jonathon., A Modest Proposal, Beverly Chin et, al publisher, Glencoe McCraw Hill 518-524 Coleridge, Samuel., Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Beverly Chin et, al publisher, Glencoe McCraw Hill 715-735

The Quantum Of Continuity :: essays research papers

<a href="http://philosophos.tripod.com">http://philosophos.tripod.com The problem of continuum versus discreteness seems to be related to the issue of infinity and finiteness. The number of points in a line served as the logical floodgate which led to the development of Set Theory by Cantor at the end of the 19th century. It took almost another century to demonstrate the problematic nature of some of Cantor's thinking (Cohen completed Godel's work in 1963). But continuity can be finite and the connection is, most times, misleading rather than illuminating. Intuition tells us that the world is continuous and contiguous. This seems to be a state of things which is devoid of characteristics other than its very existence. And yet, whenever we direct the microscope of scientific discipline at the world, we encounter quantized, segregated, distinct and discrete pictures. This atomization seems to be the natural state of things - why did evolution resort to the false perception of continuum? And how can a machine which is bound to be discrete by virtue of its "naturalness" - the brain - perceive a continuum? The continuum is an external, mental category which is imposed by us on our observations and on the resulting data. It serves as an idealized approximation of reality, a model which is asymptotic to the Universe "as it is". It gives rise to the concepts of quality, emergence, function, derivation, influence (force), interaction, fields, (quantum) measurement, processes and a host of other holistic ways of relating to our environment. The other pole, the quantized model of the world conveniently gives rise to the complementary set of concepts : quantity, causality, observation, (classic) measurement, language, events, quants, units and so on. The private, macroscopic, low velocity instances of our physical descriptions of the universe (theories) tend to be continuous. Newtonian time is equated to a river. Space is a yarn. Einstein was the last classicist (relativity just means that no classical observer has any preference over another in formulating the laws of physics and in performing measurements). His space-time is a four dimensional continuum. What commenced as a matter of mathematical convenience was transformed into a hallowed doctrine : homogeneity, isotropy, symmetry became enshrined as the cornerstones of an almost religious outlook ("God does not play dice"). These were assumed to be "objective", "observer independent" qualities of the Universe. There was supposed to be no preferred direction, no clustering of mass or of energy, no time, charge, or parity asymmetry in elementary particles.

What is the purpose and role of a résumé?

I think the main purpose of a resume is to provide a company with an overview of your professional achievements and background. Your resume acts as a marketing document, whether on paper or online, and its purpose is to introduce you to potential employers, promote what it is you have to offer and entice them into wanting to know more. According to Lauri Harwood, â€Å"a resume is a brief document, typically one or two pages, that details your qualifications for a particular job or job target.†Describe each main section of a rà ©sumà © from the textbook and what should be included in each of these sections: 1) Contact Information 2) Objective 3) Profile 4) Qualifications 5) Work Experience 6) Related Experience 7) Education Contact Information – The header of your rà ©sumà © should include your name, address, phone number, and email address, if you regularly use it. When submitting a paper version of your rà ©sumà ©, it is visually appealing to use a large font fo r your name. Include both a local and permanent address and a phone number so that an employer can easily reach you.This is especially important for graduating students. â€Å"The objective is a concise statement of your immediate employment goal (not your long-term career goal). It is the first section of the resume, immediately below the contact information on the first page. † A job objective statement shows employers the direction you want to go, your work preferences, and serves as a focal point for employers to review and analyze your rà ©sumà ©. It allows employers to immediately identify the kind of position you want.If you are looking for jobs in a number of different fields, you need to have a different job objective for each position. The profile section is a brief statement that describes you by stating your most relevant experience and qualifications. â€Å"Use a profile instead of an objective on your master resume, if you can describe your qualifications wit h a job title (based on your overall experience, not just your current job), use the title as the heading for this section. † The qualifications section is a bulleted list of skills that highlights why you are the ideal candidate for the job.This is the place to put important or interesting information that does not fit anywhere else. With the advance of technology, it is increasingly important to include a section on computer skills. This should include any of your knowledge of computer programs, hardware, software, database knowledge, or Internet functions. If you have any other notable skills, such as foreign languages, musical talents, or writing skills include these here. In the work experience section of a resume, list the jobs you have held, starting with the most recent one.Start each one with the most important information; your job title and dates of employment. On the next line, list the name of the organization and the city and state, starting on the third line wri te a brief oriented description of your responsibilities. You would use the related experience section to highlight other experiences that relates to your job objective. Include activities such as memberships, awards, and leadership positions earned in professional or trade association such as honorary groups, social, service, and school organizations.In the education section you list your education in reverse chronological order (most recent first). List the technical schools, colleges and universities you have attended, the years of attendance, and the degrees or certificates you earned. In this section, include any information about your degrees, including where and when you graduated; dates; major, minor, or concentration; certification; and academic awards and honors. Make sure you use the official names for schools, degrees and majors/minors. I think you should include your GPA if it is an asset.

Early Christianity Essay

Christianity is one of the biggest religions in the world and is followed mostly all over the world. One of the first of the Christians was the followers of Jesus Christ, a Jew, who taught the way to live for each and every individual. He taught the concept that he is raised from dead that made people to consider the divine. He was celestial and showed people the way to deliverance. This concept increased the number of christens in the Rome and at the end of the fourth century it became the utter religion of the Rome. What were the reasons for the fast spread of Christianity? There were a number of them. Mostly because of the teachings of Jesus, as it tells that there should be love in between all the human beings and there should be equality as well. This encouraged the poor and needy ones to convert. His concept of life after death attracted the people who were feared of there deaths. Decent revolution was another reason for all to be attracted; no matter they are poor or rich. Now what were the diverging views of the roman and Christens? Romans have a concept that a person should live a best possible life in this world and should live a luxurious care free life where as Christianity was not having this concept. According to them a person should live through deliverance so that they could have the best of the life after death. Greek have some valid reason which actually made the Christens to think that was intelligence is through lonely time. This threatened christens that there followers might decrease. This was when church interpretation came into act so that the right thing should be guide and what is the real meaning of bible should be examined. Our acts can not save us from the fire of hell. It is only the teachings of the Jesus which can actually save us from the hell which could make us enter the heavenly life after death. What was the origin of the unity of the human race? What was the origin of human sinfulness? According to Augustine it was the teachings of the Jesus Christ which actually was the origin of the unity of the human race. Jesus taught them that there will be no inequality between the poor and the rich and they are equal to the God. They should live for salvation instead of pleasure. They should love each other and should give respect to each other. No richer people have right to be superior and no poor are inferior to the wealthier one. All are equal and all are human. The only thing they should care for is the life after death and people should live more for that than this life. This concept actually was the origin of the unity as after this there was unity in all race of human. No blacks were accused of being blacks and no whites were to be superior. This was the main origin of equality in human race. Augustine thinks that the desire of people to live as commanded by God so that they could achieve heaven is the main origin of the human race or human equality. Those who lived for this world and they don’t care of the life after death actually gives birth to the human sinfulness. The desire to be wealthier and to increase the standard of living made human to be sinful. The thought of being better than others increased there sinfulness. This desire made them to do more and more sinfulness and actually origin the word of sinfulness. This actually was origin from roman people who wanted better in this life. What are the two cities, city of God and City of men, according to Augustine? What are there implications on the Christen teachings? There are two cities according to Augustine. City of men means this world that is the world according to which a person is judged. It is the world where you can get your pleasure. Whereas the City of God is the life after death, where a person is judged according to there lives. This is the life of heaven or hell and is immortal whereas city of men is temporary and will be finished when Jesus will come again. City of men is dishonest whereas city of God is ideal. This gives christens the concept of life after death and tells them that everyone is judged according to its deeds. It also tells us that this world in not eternal and will be finished as the Jesus will come where as the life after death is forever so we should care for that life. This gives christens the concept and belief in life after death. Who can measure the happiness of haven? Then it tells about the heaven where all will be happy and satisfied and they will be able to do whatever they want. They can live through there desires. Everywhere will be satisfaction and it is a place of spirits. There would be no evil at all. Later christens started hating Jews as they thought that hating Jews is right. As God hates Jewish people so they also started hating Jews. They stopped going to occasions of Jews. Saints started teaching Christens against Jews and that the Jews are the worst of the people. There is a disease in Jews that may cause some Christian’s attraction towards them. This disease is needed to be cured. Now what is this Disease? This disease is not a medical disease. It is about the ‘Judaizing disease’ that means spreading of Judaism. They are to launch on christens to attend there festival and to fast with them. Some of the Christens who thinks that Jews have the same thinking as they have will go for it and will attend there festivals. This will cause people to accept Judaism. This is the fear of some christens and they wanted this disease to be finished. The disease is the spreading of Judaism not any medical disease and it should be finished with the help of the teachings of Bible by saints.

Macbeth Critisism essays

Macbeth Critisism essays Macbeth Essay As I first started to watch the movie, Macbeth, I thought that it would be boring, poorly acted, and not truly portray the play. I knew I had made my decision too quickly as the movie proceeded; and by the end of the movie I was mesmerized by the quality of the actors, how the simplicity made following and understanding easier, and how exact the dialogue was to the play. One of my favorite characters was Lady Macbeth because she put her heart into every line, and burst at the seams with emotion. I was impressed by the way she showed love for her husband, disgust towards him, regret, and disgust with herself. She best showed these feelings through her facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. In the scene where she was sleepwalking, she really looked as through she was in a deep sleepwalk. The look of disappointment and regret in her face and words were so real. Lady Macbeth wore a plain styled gray dress that looked very dated and her hair pulled up into a cap gave a clear view of her face. Her simple dress was worn to show humbleness and purity, which is ironic because towards the end of the movie she disparately wanted to be purified of her horrible deeds. Macbeths character was also very well performed. Throughout the entire movie there was a sense of passion that made me wish I was in the audience to experience more intensely. The feelings of hope, confusion, guilt, and greed were successfully portrayed better than I had expected. I really got interested in his character about half way through the movie, as everyone started to catch on to Macbeths traitorous murders, he became more and more insane. If I hadnt read the play before seeing this movie, I would question why they dressed Macbeth in such sly and creepy clothes. He wore a very modern black leather jacket, black shirt, and black pants. His face was almost white and his hair was sli...

Great Britain Geography, History, and Economy Facts

Great Britain Geography, History, and Economy Facts Great Britain is an island located within the British Isles and it is the ninth largest island in the world and the largest in Europe. It is located to the northwest of continental Europe and it is home to the United Kingdom which includes Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland (not actually on the island of Great Britain). Great Britain has a total area of 88,745 square miles (229,848 sq km) and a population of about 65 million people (2016 estimate). The island of Great Britain is known for the global city of London, England as well as smaller cities like Edinburgh, Scotland. In addition, Great Britain is known for its history, historic architecture and natural environment. Over 500,000 Years of History The island of Great Britain has been inhabited by early humans for at least 500,000 years. It is believed that these humans crossed a land bridge from continental Europe at that time. Modern humans have been in Great Britain for about 30,000 years and until the about 12,000 years ago archeological evidence shows that they moved back and forth between the island and continental Europe via a land bridge. This land bridge closed and Great Britain became an island at the end of the last glaciation. A History of Invasions Throughout its modern human history, Great Britain was invaded several times. For example in 55 B.C.E., the Romans invaded the region and it became a part of the Roman Empire. The island was also controlled by various tribes and was invaded several times. In 1066 the island was a part of the Norman Conquest and this began the cultural and political development of the area. Throughout the decades following the Norman Conquest, Great Britain was ruled by several different kings and queens and it was also a part of several different treaties between the countries on the island. About the Name Britain The use of the name Britain dates back to the time of Aristotle, however, the term Great Britain was not officially used until 1474 when a marriage proposal between Edward IV of Englands daughter, Cecily, and James IV of Scotland was written. Today the term is used to specifically refer to the largest island within the United Kingdom or to the unit of England, Scotland, and Wales. What Great Britain Encapsulates Today Today in terms of its politics the name Great Britain refers to England, Scotland and Wales because they are on the United Kingdoms largest island. In addition, Great Britain also includes the outlying areas of Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Isles of Scilly, the Hebrides and the remote island groups of Orkney and Shetland. These outlying areas are considered a part of Great Britain because they are parts of England, Scotland or Wales. Where Is Great Britain on a Map? Great Britain is located to the northwest of continental Europe and east of Ireland. The North Sea and the English Channel separate it from Europe, however, the Channel Tunnel, the longest undersea rail tunnel in the world, connects it with continental Europe. The topography of Great Britain consists mainly of low gently rolling hills in the eastern and southern portions of the island and hills and low mountains in the western and northern regions. The Regions Climate The climate of Great Britain is temperate and it is moderated by the Gulf Stream. The region is known for being cool and cloudy during the winter and the western parts of the island are windy and rainy because they are more influenced by the ocean. The eastern parts are drier and less windy. London, the largest city on the island, has an average January low temperature of 36 F (2.4 C) and a July average temperature of 73 F (23 C). Fauna and Animal Species Despite its large size, the island of Great Britain has a small amount of fauna. This is because it has been rapidly industrialized in recent decades and this has caused habitat destruction across the island. As a result, there are very few large mammal species in Great Britain and rodents like squirrels, mice and beaver make up 40% of the mammal species there. In terms of Great Britains flora, there is a large variety of trees and 1,500 species of wildflower. Population and Ethnic Groups Great Britain has a population of about 60 million people (2009 estimate) and a population density of 717 persons per square mile (277 persons per square kilometer). The main ethnic group of Great Britain is British - particularly those who are Cornish, English, Scottish or Welsh. The Main Cities There are several large cities on the island of Great Britain but the largest is London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom. Other large cities include Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. About the Economy Great Britains United Kingdom has the third largest economy in Europe. The majority of the UKs and Great Britains economy is within the service and industrial sectors but there is also ​a  small amount of agriculture. The main industries are machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper products, food processing, textiles, and clothing. Agricultural products include are cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables cattle, sheep, poultry, and fish.

Classroom Door Decorations - Ideas for All Seasons

Classroom Door Decorations - Ideas for All Seasons Your classroom door is the first thing people see when they walk past your classroom. To make sure your door stands out, take the time to create a unique display that represents your students or your teaching style. Create your classroom door decoration display by yourself, or enlist your students to help. By adding a little color and imagination to your classroom, you will have your students beaming with excitement. Fall Sweet Back to School Display A fun and tasty way to welcome your students back to school is to create a door display titled Off to a SWEET Start. Create giant cupcakes and write each students name on each one using sprinkles and glue. For the background, buy pink wrapping paper or use a colorful plastic table cloth. Mount a few colorful, edible lollipops for the students to eat later, and you have yourself a sweet back to school door display. Winter Happy Holidays To create a fantastic winter door display, have each student trace and cut out a medium sized green star. Then have each student place a photograph of themselves on the center of the star. Next, have students decorate stars with craft supplies such as sequins, glitter, markers, pom-poms, rhinestones, ribbon, etc. Once stars are completed, display them in the shape of a Christmas tree with your star in the center. Use red wrapping paper for the background, and brown paper for the stem of the tree. For an added touch, place Christmas lights around and/or throughout the tree. Spring Look at our Garden Grow After a long winter, spring into the season with a cute door decoration that will have the students and faculty beaming when they walk by. Have each student create a flower out of colored construction paper. On each pedal have them write something they have learned so far throughout the school year. Then place their photo in the middle of the flower and on the stem write their name in glitter. To create the backdrop use blue paper to represent the sky, yellow paper to represent the sun and green paper to use as the grass. Mount the flowers all around the grass in various sizes and title it Look at our Garden Grow. Summer End-of-the-Year Display A fun and unique way to end the school year and lead into summer vacation is to enlist the help of your students to create a picnic display. To begin have each student decorate a paper plate with a photo of their self and a favorite memory they have from the school year. Mount the paper plates on a checkered table cloth background and title it _____ Grade Was †¦ A Picnic! For a fun (and gross) touch have students create little ants to place around the classroom door. Additional Ideas Here are a few other ideas I have seen in the classroom, around the internet or made up on my own: Cruising into a New School Year - Create a sea blue backdrop and mount boating and sea items.We are a Class to Tweet About - Mount birds or write Twitter phrases about your students.You Make our School Pop - Create a HUGE popcorn bag and write students names on the kernel.Welcome to the Best Place to Bee - Create a bee hive and place students names on each bee.Mrs._____ Class is Souring to New Heights - Create a HUGE hot air balloon and place students names on each balloon.Hopping into ______ Grade. - Create paper frogs and place each students name on one. Looking for more ideas? Here a few creative bulletin board ideas to try in your classroom.

A Persuasive Paper Taking the Side of John Couey Essay

A Persuasive Paper Taking the Side of John Couey - Essay Example The girl’s body was found, after a massive three-week search that continued for several weeks, buried in a dirt hole, wrapped in garbage bags along with her purple dolphin toy. The cause of death explained was asphyxiation and it was suggested that Jessica was buried alive. Dirt under her finger nails and two holes poked into the garbage bags showed her efforts to escape from the bags. On medical examination tears in her vaginal area suggested that she was raped before being buried alive. Her hands were tied with speaker wire and according to the medical examiners she was alive up to five minutes until she suffocated to death (Schoetz 2007, Porteus 2007a). Hence, the evidence obtained from the law enforcing agencies and the medical examination of the girl’s retrieved body proved that Jessica Lunsford was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and then buried alive. The police investigation pointed towards John Evander Couey as the major suspect of Jessica Lunsford case. The jury and the Florida Judge sentenced John Couey to death for the rape and murder of Jessica. In spite of the prosecution’s accusations and evidences against John Couey, there were many loopholes in the case that suggest towards the innocence of John Couey. Jessica Lunsford’s body was found in a dirt hole near the trailer home of John Couey by the law enforcing agencies. ... Furthermore, Couey’s fingerprints were also found on the garbage bags. The wire that had been used to tie Jessica’s hands was also found in Couey’s home. According to the Judge, Richard Howard, Couey hid Jessica in his closet for several weeks and when was fearful of the police he buried her in a dirt hole. Couey was arrested and was put in the Citrus County jail (Porteus 2007a, Schoetz 2007). A Miami jury decided that John Couey should be executed with a 10-2 vote. Circuit Judge Richard Howard sentenced Couey to death, showing harmony with the jury’s decision (Porteus 2007b). The factors and appeals put forward by the defense attorney were rejected by the Judge and the jury showed through their decision that the appeals did not convince them enough. Nevertheless, if the case of John Couey is observed and studied thoroughly many points, evidences and circumstances show harmony with John Couey. The defense attorneys proved that the 48-year-old John Couey wa s suffering from a long-standing mental illness and was mentally impaired. Furthermore he was heavily dependent on drugs and alcohol. He also had a childhood history of sexual abuse by the boyfriend of his mother. John Couey was born when his mother was only 16 years old, living in four different homes before reaching the age of 10 and hence suffering a life of neglect and abuse at a very tender age. Defense attorney Alan Fanter quoted that Couey was a â€Å"life worth-saving† (Porteus 2007b). The defense attorneys wanted to prove in front of the judge and the jury members that the act performed by the defendant was a result of his mental illness and his childhood years spent in sexual abuse, violence and neglect. According to Fanter, the act performed by Couey was

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials - Coursework Example There are different types of automobile. A car is the most common type of automobile comprising largely in the usability in human population. Basically, the primary parts of a car includes: the exterior, lights, interior, chasis, brakes, suspension, and engine. Materials used for the various parts of a car needs to fulfill various criteria and comply with regulations and legislations that ensures the safety and environmental concerns of the machines. Traditionally, materials used for automobile parts production comprises of metallic materials, aluminum, steel, magnesium and other metallic alloys. However, with the rise of modern technology where various study discovered new researches, many of the metallic parts of car are now replaced with materials made up of composite materials (Ghassemieh). Composite materials such as carbon-fibre composites have been widely applied in automobile processing. Carbon fibres are those fiber materials derived from carbon. They are mixed and bound tog ether with other materials such as polymer resins processed under heat, pressure and vacuum to derive the special properties for the composites (Johnson, T. n.d). They are considered as new breed for high strength materials. It contains about 90% carbon fiber which is very durable and strong. They are very suitable when used in applications requiring stiffness, strength, lesser weight and superior fatigue characteristics (Hegde, et al. 2004). Carbon Fiber composite polymers or CFRP are devised in automobile manufacturing as they are lightweight.

Explain the impact of information technology on the criminal justice Essay

Explain the impact of information technology on the criminal justice system - Essay Example Technical administrative safety /security measures like that security plans, actions, and procedures are the generally practices for the organizational information security procedures. Attentiveness of building actions are concerned by the organizations to a substantially smaller level, on the other hand at the same time these are weighed up as being further efficient organizational actions than technical administrative ones. Information security encompasses organizational features, officially authorized aspects, institutionalization and applications of most excellent practices in addition to security technologies (Laudon & Laudon, 1999). Augmenting power of information technology and computing as well as progresses in data communication and user-friendly GUI (graphical user interface) present criminal justice and law enforcement agency by means of extraordinary capability to get together, inspect, store as well as distribute information and data that is gathered about any case or criminal activity by stakeholders surrounded by as well as outside of administration and criminal justice system (Peterson, 2009). The accomplishment of the information technology for criminal justice system presents enormous benefits like that at the present time we have a technology-driven working atmosphere, rapid and reliable commutation means, fast detection system, these all systems merge to form a very strong criminal justice system. Criminal justice systems have been improved through growing the ability to store as well as process huge amount of data about crimes and associated events. There is enhanced investigative and intelligenc e facility through information technology. They have rapid and on spot right to use to criminal records as well as additional types of appropriate data regarding criminal justice (Peterson, 2009). For criminal justice a policy determined vital to convene the needs of modern and up-to-date shapes of

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Discussion Questions - Essay Example Dovel, 1993) Today it is believed that management styles around the world especially in the industrialized world are beginning to converge and that this convergence will likely increase overtime as a result of increased globalization process. (Richard M. Steers, & Luciara Nardon, 2005, p.10). But in my point of view this is not so and my management style cannot be applied successfully in Asia, Europe and US at the same time. The reasons are as follows The cultures across the countries in Asia, Europe and US are very different. The culture of a country shapes the perception of the people. These perceptions play a major role in defining their work attitude. Cultural influence also directly affects the climate for business in general and international business in particular. National ideology determines how members of a culture view the role of business and how strong the cultures identity is. These factors in turn determine attitudes toward foreigners, foreign products and foreign ideas. (John B. Ford, Earl D. Honeycutt, Jr, 1992, p. 2) Trade and business laws in a country also affect the managerial decision making. Business organizations that work across borders not only follow international laws but also the national business and trade laws of the concerned country. A decision which is viable in one country may not be legally acceptable in another country. There is a huge gap in the technology usage between Asian, American and European countries. Asian businesses mostly rely on old technologies due to shortage of capital. This makes the Asian businesses more labor intensive. This is also a key factor that requires managers to have different managerial style. This is the most important point because the level of skill and education of the workforce determines the kind of attitude the manager can have with them. Incase of Asia where the workforce is mostly uneducated the managers hardly rely upon the employees. Therefore a manager may not be able to

Precis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Precis Paper - Assignment Example the Governor raises concerns of whether the government will beat the time scheduled to pay the $1.7 billion which will be just a third of what the government is supposed to pay by 2018. In his state of the state speech last month, the governor said that education and other needs will be shortchanged by the rising payments. He is expected to continue with the speech on Tuesday during the annual budget address. Over 40 states have overhauled their pension systems but experts say that this is just deferment of costs of pension to the future. Pension overhauls have failed because the cost of benefits and money set aside for payment has grown from $3.1million in 2009 to $4 trillion this year according to Joshua D. Rauh, a finance professor at Stanford University. The gap keeps widening from year to year and many states are in dept of amount equal to or more than their annual revenue. Pension overhauls experts’ advice that the most effective solution is to raise taxes substantially or do away with future retirement benefits of public workers. This is illegal in the government but is practiced in companies in some states. There are many reasons why pension overhauls have failed. One is state contributions are deferred to pension funds and end up in depth in the long term. Pension investments earning estimates are also overly optimistic. Another reason is politics. Governors and legislatures are unwilling to spend on financing their failing pension systems. New Jersey for example diverted the pension systems money to other programs promising better benefits in 1992.By 2010, the whole system was unfunded and the state accused of securities fraud by federal regulators. The system was redeemed in 2011 with several changes. Retirement age for new workers rose to 65 years with 30 years of service from 55years with 25years of service. There was also compulsory increase in contribution from current workers and suspension of cost of living increase for retired workers. This

Annotated bibliograhphy Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bibliograhphy - Annotated Bibliography Example Although most human resource managers find implementing work-life programs challenging and expensive, Lockwood suggests that any organization that intends to attract the right talents and gain competitive advantage must consider implementing a work-life program since it offers a win-win solution. This article satisfies the study objectives since it discusses the challenges facing human resource in the present day society as regards increased need for work-life program. The world has witnessed rapid technological advancements in the recent past. In this journal article, Kamal and Ashish Kumar investigate the impact that technological advancements witnessed in the recent past has had on human resource performance. The authors note that the recent technological advancements such as computers have transformed human resource functions in a big way. The authors note that the integration of technologies, such as computers has changed how the human resource managers process payrolls and record information among others. Additionally, the authors reckon that the integration of technologies in human resource management has improved how HR keeps records and information in an organization. Therefore, the authors advise that HR managers should ensure that they keep up with new technologies to enhance the performance of their HR functions. This paper satisfies the study objectives since it explores the impact of technology on HR

Precis Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Precis Paper - Assignment Example the Governor raises concerns of whether the government will beat the time scheduled to pay the $1.7 billion which will be just a third of what the government is supposed to pay by 2018. In his state of the state speech last month, the governor said that education and other needs will be shortchanged by the rising payments. He is expected to continue with the speech on Tuesday during the annual budget address. Over 40 states have overhauled their pension systems but experts say that this is just deferment of costs of pension to the future. Pension overhauls have failed because the cost of benefits and money set aside for payment has grown from $3.1million in 2009 to $4 trillion this year according to Joshua D. Rauh, a finance professor at Stanford University. The gap keeps widening from year to year and many states are in dept of amount equal to or more than their annual revenue. Pension overhauls experts’ advice that the most effective solution is to raise taxes substantially or do away with future retirement benefits of public workers. This is illegal in the government but is practiced in companies in some states. There are many reasons why pension overhauls have failed. One is state contributions are deferred to pension funds and end up in depth in the long term. Pension investments earning estimates are also overly optimistic. Another reason is politics. Governors and legislatures are unwilling to spend on financing their failing pension systems. New Jersey for example diverted the pension systems money to other programs promising better benefits in 1992.By 2010, the whole system was unfunded and the state accused of securities fraud by federal regulators. The system was redeemed in 2011 with several changes. Retirement age for new workers rose to 65 years with 30 years of service from 55years with 25years of service. There was also compulsory increase in contribution from current workers and suspension of cost of living increase for retired workers. This

Performance Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Performance Management - Assignment Example Job description is a statement of the overall purpose and scope of a job together with its details of a task and duties. It is a written statement of what the employee does how he does it and what the job working conditions are. In general, a job description sets out the purpose of the job where it fits into the organization structure, the context in which the job holds a function and the principles of the job accountability of the jobholder. The content includes Job identification, job summary, responsibilities, standard of performance and job specification (Said & Munap, 2010). The retail staff shall achieve optimum sales profitability, business growth and accounts penetration within a market segment or territory by selling the products of the retail shop effectively. The retail sale staff shall secure as well as contact customers and new business accounts in the market. The organizational behaviour management (OBM) involves the application of the science of human behaviour. OBM relates to the behaviour of people in a workplace, in addition, OBM is guided by a theory of human behaviour that is emphasised on identification and modification of environmental factors that affect employees performance. OBM is anchored in the work of B.F Skinner who postulated that an employee’s behaviour is inferred by his needs. In that, an employee may perform poorly in work because of poor job satisfaction or reduced rewards when he makes much profit to a company. Therefore, the OBM process identifies behaviours related to performance, study their instances and occurrences, identifies the major triggers, come up with interventions strategy, applies the postulated strategy and maintains the optimal performance through appropriate rewards to the employees. OBM embraces a three contingency model that is antecedent-behaviour-consequence. An antecedent is the stimulus that precedes behaviour and encourages the practice of that behaviour.

Herzbergs Theory Of Motivation Management Essay

Herzbergs Theory Of Motivation Management Essay After describing research background, problem statement, research question and objective, and significant of study in chapter 1, in this chapter provide the literature review of the past empirical studies. It is discuss about the theoretical foundation, review of the prior empirical studies of the independent variables, research model and hypotheses development. 2.1 Theoretical Foundation The main contribution of this research is Herzbergs theory of motivation. This theory is also known as the two-factor theory. Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory is developed by Professor Frederick Irving Herzberg in year 1959 (Herzberg, 1966). It divides into two groups of factors known as the motivator factors and hygiene factors. Table 2.1 shows the factors of motivator and hygiene which are lead to job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction. Source: Chen. K. (2005). Factors affecting job satisfaction of public sector employees in Taiwan. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Under hygiene factors, lower level of employees needs will lead to de-motivate if they do not meet the factors but not necessarily motivate. When higher level of employees needs is met, therefore true motivation only exists (La Motta, 1995). According to Herzberg (1966) motivators are the real factors that motivate employees that can create job satisfaction and achieve the organizations goal. In prior research, Tan and Waheed (2011) are examined that what can motivate employees and their level of job satisfaction in the retail industry by using Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory. They founded that working conditions are the most significant in motivating sales personnel. The second is recognition and followed by company policy and salary. These were the factors that improved level of job satisfaction. Other than using Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory in the retail industry, Azash, Safare and Kumar (2011) are made a study about the motivational factors and job satisfaction on selected public and private sector bank employees in India. In Malaysia, these are some researchers done a study by examines the relationship between motivator and hygiene factors of the two-factor theory and job satisfaction of Gen-Y (Golshan et al., 2011). Table 2.2: Brief Definitions for the Factors of Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory Factors Definition Recognition Acts of praise, notice, or blame complete by one or more peer, superior, colleague, client, management person, and the general public. Achievement Accomplishment of actions including instances where failures were incurred. Similarly, instances were included whether success or failures were incurred. Work Itself The actual job performance connected to job satisfaction. Responsibility Satisfaction resulting that being given power of personal work or new job responsibilities and the work of others. Advancement Selected an actual change in job status. Possibility of growth A possible where was change in status, in fact, the change could be downward or upward in status. Supervision The supervisors willingness to teach subordinates and willingness or unwillingness to delegate responsibility. Policy and administration Events of the organization which included some aspects were related to job satisfaction. Working condition Quality of work, physical working conditions, and facilities which are related to job satisfaction. Interpersonal relations Relationships between subordinates, superiors and peers. Job security Feeling that person feel have an appropriate job and also guarantee its persistence as well as absence of threatening matter in the future. Salary All sequences of actions in which major role is compensation. Source: Castillo, J. X., Cano, J. (2004). Factors explaining job satisfaction among faculty. Journal of Agricultural Eduction, 45(3). According to Tripathi (2001) employees can be motivated by economic reward, job security, recognition, promotion and training to enhance job satisfaction. Robbins (2005) also shows work itself were most important factors that influence job satisfaction. In this research, Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory will mainly be undertaken to investigate on the significance of factors such as commission pay, job security, opportunities for advancement and development and work itself in affecting job satisfaction among insurance agents in Malaysia. 2.2 Review of the Prior Empirical Studies 2.2.1 Commission Pay According to Cheng (2011) commissions is a sum of money based on individual capacity and performance upon completion of a task that generally paid as percentage of the sales based on sales volume, not for the period of time that individual work. Pathak and Tripathi (2010) exploratory a study to investigate the relationship between monetary benefit associated with the job satisfaction of the Indian insurance field. A survey was conducted among 350 employees who had worked in or left insurers. Based on this study, it can conclude that monetary benefit is primary need for employees and is a variable that important to job satisfaction. Besides, past researcher Tan et al. (2011) conducted a study to investigate the relationship between pay and its influences on the level of job satisfaction in the retail industry. Questionnaire had allocated to 152 respondents among the employees and conclude that pay have influence on the job satisfaction of employees. Therefore, pay was significantly and positively related to job satisfaction. Individual when receive high monetary payment are satisfied with their job. Moreover, Parvin and Kabir (2011) also conducted a study to investigate the relationship between pay affecting the job satisfaction of pharmaceutical field. Researchers conducted research with survey method by closed-ended interview-schedule to collect primary data. The research concluded that pay is a significant factor that can influence job satisfaction among employees. These few research shows the positive and significant relationship among the pay and job satisfaction. Thus, this research assumes that there is significant relationship between commissions pay and job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.2.2 Job Security According to Lacy and Sheehan (1997) indicated that an obvious relationship subsists between job security and satisfaction of employees in work. A forecaster of employees job satisfaction is security of services which bring out the meaning of a function that has a substantial connected to the job satisfaction of employees (Siddique, Malik Abbass, 2002). A study has been done by Noble (2008) to investigate how job security will influence the job satisfaction among sales managers. Questionnaires were randomly distributed to 292 sales managers of a national car rental chain in the United States. The findings demonstrated that there are positive relationships between job security and job satisfaction. In addition, Gazioglu and Tansel (2006) carry out a research exploring the relationships between job security and job satisfaction within workplace employees. A total of 28,240 questionnaires were allocated to a sample of British employees from the Workplace Employee Relations Survey. The study concluded that job security is significant related to the job satisfaction. Furthermore, Nikolaou, Theodossiou and Vasileiou (2006) conducted a finding to survey the relationships between job security and job satisfaction in European countries. In this study, a sample of 6,326 workers from Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, The Netherlands, Spain and The United Kingdom was selected and sent out the questionnaires. This research points out there is significant of associations between job security and job satisfaction. Based on the three past studied above, this research proposes that job security is significantly related to the job satisfaction of insurance agents. Therefore, this study suggests that job security can help to improve job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.2.3 Opportunities for Advancement and Development Wong and Wong (2005) stated that opportunities for advancement and development is one of the vital motivation factors that may be used by employer to motivate the employees on their job satisfaction. According Robbins (1998) opportunities for advancement and development provide the employees opportunities for personal growth in their current workplace, greater responsibility and social status. Lim (2008) conducted a study exploring the relationship between promotion opportunities due to technical expertise and job satisfaction of library IT workers. This research give some details about IT workers satisfy on their jobs compare with others. Data was collected using a random sampling technique which is out of 443 mail surveys were sent to IT workers of 30 libraries that were randomly selected from the 99 university member libraries of Association of Research Libraries in the United States and 202 surveys were returned by target respondents in result of 45.6%. From this research, the findings showed that there is a positive relationship between promotion opportunities and job satisfaction. A research was done by Chng, Chong and Nakesvari (2010) to investigate the relationship between promotion opportunities that influence job satisfaction of private college lecturers in Penang. Questionnaires were allocated to three colleges which is 180 sets among 19 private colleges. The questionnaires of this research collected back 135 sets from respondents. Based on this study, the result concluded that there is significant relationship between promotion opportunities with job satisfaction. Naveed, Usman and Bushra (2011) carried out a study to investigate the relationship between promotion and job satisfaction in employees of glass industry in Lahore, Pakistan. The data collection showed that 156 sets of questionnaires were received back out of 200 questionnaires which were randomly selected from 1,500 employees. The findings of this research indicate that there is a moderate and positive relationship between promotion and job satisfaction. Thus, this research assumes that an opportunity for advancement and development is positively related to job satisfaction among insurance agents according to three past studies. Nowadays, insurance agents are more emphasize in opportunities for advancement and development. 2.2.4 Work Itself According to Robbins, Odendaal and Roodt (2003) work itself is the degree to which the job provides human being with stimulating tasks, the chances of learning and personal growth, and the opportunity to be responsible and accountable for the outcomes. Shah, Rehman, Akhtar, Zafar and Riaz (2012) carried out a study investigating the relationship between the natures of work itself and job satisfaction of teachers in Public Educational Institutions in Rawalpindi area. The questionnaires of this study distributed to 379 respondents and 294 surveys were received. The findings of this research indicate that there is a significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction. In the report done by Chuang, Yin and Jenkins (2009) to examine the relationship between the work itself and job satisfaction of casino hotel chefs in Las Vegas. The surveys were conducted by interview 25 major casino hotel chefs and one chef from academic field. From the research conducted it was evident that there is positively relationship between the work itself and job satisfaction. The research done by Castillo and Cano (2004) to inspect the relationship between the nature of job itself and job satisfaction of faculty members at the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences in The Ohio State University. Questionnaires of this research were distributed to 172 respondents and 148 questionnaires were returned from respondents. This research concludes that there is significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction. Based on three past studies above, the researchers propose that work itself is positively related to the job satisfaction of insurance agents. Thus, this study recommends that the work itself can help to improve the job satisfaction of insurance agents. 2.3 Proposed Conceptual Framework/Research Model Figure 2.1: Theoretical Framework Independent Variables Dependent Variable Commission Pay Job Satisfaction Job Security Work Itself Opportunities for Advancement and Development Source: Castillo, J. X., Cano, J. (2004). Factors explaining job satisfaction among faculty. Journal of Agricultural Education, 45(3). 2.4 Hypotheses Development Commission Pay H0: There is no significant relationship between commission pays and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H1: There is a significant relationship between commission pay and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Job Security H0: There is no significant relationship between job security and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H2: There is a significant relationship between job security and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Opportunities for Advancement and Development H0: There is no significant relationship between opportunities for advancement and development and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H3: There is a significant relationship between opportunities for advancement and development and job satisfaction among insurance agents. Work Itself H0: There is no significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction among insurance agents. H4: There is a significant relationship between work itself and job satisfaction among insurance agents. 2.5 Conclusion From the past studies review in this chapter, it found that all the independent variables has significant relationship between the dependent variable. Research model and hypotheses were developed from the review of past studies. The research methodology will be providing in chapter 3.

Why We Need Laws Essay -- essays research papers

The American Heritage Dictionary defines law as 'a rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement, or authority.'; Since even the most primitive forms of life have been known to live by some 'rule of conduct,'; by definition, law has existed before the dawn of the human race. However, no other species have adopted laws to fit their immediate needs more than humans. As groups of humans began living in larger and larger groups, competition for resources such as food, water, shelter, and even mating partners grew increasingly intense. Therefore, the leaders of these basic forms of society found it necessary to set guidelines for sharing and protecting these resources. As these societies grew in complexity, so did the need for laws. While in its nascent stage law primarily protected tangibles such as life, limb, and property, the scope of laws has grown to encompass moral values as well. However, these values often differed from society to society. With each passing year, more and more laws are coming into effect. Consequently, more and more people are growing incognizant of the laws that govern them. In effect, this ignorance of the law nullifies its effectiveness as a deterrent of crime. Therefore, modern law has taken a more passive role as a medium for holding people accountable for their actions. Voltaire once said that 'a multitude of laws in a country is like a great number of physicians, a sign of weakness and malady.'; Historically, laws have been created in an attempt to correct perceived problems within a society. An epidemic of adultery must have occurred before laws forbidding such activity came into existence. Several affluent members of society must have been robbed before anti-theft laws were passed. Undoubtedly a number of politicians were shot and killed before gun-control laws were believed to be necessary. For the most part laws are created out of fear of becoming victimized. As illustrated in the preceding examples, most laws are designed specifically to address crimes in which the distinction between an offender and a victim is clear. However, laws against so-called 'victimless'; crimes suggest that its intent exceeds that of mere protection. For instance, according to California Penal Code 286, 'sodomy is sexual conduct consisting of contact between the peni s of one person and the anus of another person. Any sexual penetra... ... person, simply relying on an individual's sense of morality in respect to self-government would result in inevitable sociological chaos. This holds especially true for those who lack the mental competency to differentiate between moral and immoral behavior. Although some laws have been proven to be effective deterrents of crime, this holds true only for those laws that are known to exist. Furthermore, it is necessary to remember that even the most severe of punishments will not deter the motivated criminal. Therefore, the very essence of law is reduced to a mere mechanism to hold people accountable for their actions or lack thereof. Accountability for the law, regardless of moral beliefs, must be applied unconditionally and without prejudice to all persons within the jurisdiction of the governing body in order to safeguard the law's effectiveness. Although this can be construed as 'force-feeding'; perceived moral beliefs upon the society as a whole, accountability is necessary t o insure that the violators of crimes are justly punished for their actions. Without such universal accountability, it would be impossible to apply laws upon a morally diverse and legally ignorant society.

Personal Narrative: My Favorite Noncompetitive Activities :: essays research papers

My Three Favorite Noncompetitive Activities The three different activities I like is bicycling, camping, and hiking. I got interested in camping because, you get to see the outdoors, and see the stars, and eat burnt marshmallows. This is very fun. Also, because this is a group activity. I also got interested in hiking because, it keeps you in shape, and its just plain fun and it is a dual activity. I got interested in bicycling because, you get to travel around in it, and it keeps you in shape, and it is very fun. And, because it is an individual activity. When I went to camp I got to fish, swim, and tell scary stories, and sleep in tents. It was a lot of fun. We got to pick our camp grounds. We got to make camp fires, so we can cook our food. We are also able to see the stars at night. We can?t really see the stars in the cities, because there is too much light. But anyways we had a lot of fun camping. Bicycling is also a lot of fun. You can travel anywhere on a bicycle. It keeps you in shape, and it is fun. But you have to be careful of glass or nails, or else your tires might become flat. But other than that, it can be a lot of fun. You can get a really strong workout with a bicycle. You can have races against other people. You can take it with you camping and to the beach. Hiking is a lot of fun. It keeps you in good shape. It exercises your body. It helps your brain to think and learn. You can also race against other people. You can see the great out doors if you are hiking in the woods. You can see different kinds of birds and trees and people. Well I can tell you this much, hiking is a lot of fun.

International Business Chapter Nine

1) I think Arcelik’s prospects to be better in emerging markets & developing economies than in advanced economies. Emerging markets & developing economies are attractive to Arcelik because they represent promising export markets for products and services. They are ideal bases for locating manufacturing activities because of low labor costs. Emerging markets are popular destinations for global sourcing-procurement of products and services from foreign locations. The growing middle class in these countries implies substantial demand for a variety of consumer products. Arcelik should adapt the strategies and tactics to suit unique conditions. Firm can reap benefits from such markets by partnering with family conglomerates 2) Types of risks & challenges Arcelik is likely to face in doing business in emerging markets: Political Instability: The absence of reliable or consistent governance from recognized government authorities adds to business costs, increases risks, and reduces manager’s ability to forecast business conditions. Weak Intellectual Property Protection: In many Emerging markets, laws that safeguard intellectual property rights may not been forced, or the judicial process may be painfully slow. Partner availability and Qualifications: Arcelik needs to seek alliances with local companies in countries characterized by inadequate legal and political frameworks. Through local partners, foreign firms can access local market knowledge, establish supplier and distributor networks and develop key government contacts. Special considerations must be taken into account to estimate the true demand in emerging markets. Managers can follow one of three approaches to more realistically assess emerging market potential. They can rely upon per-capita income, considered the size and growth rate of the middle class, and build a more comprehensive set of indicators such as the emerging market potential index. 3) Arcelik can display good corporate social responsibility by engaging in activities that facilitate economic development in emerging market and developing economies. It can serve low income countries with inexpensive, specifically- designed products. To lead in global household appliances, management needs to improve operational efficiency to levels that match or exceed major competitors and increase investment in high growth markets

Iron Crowned Chapter 5

â€Å"Damn it,† I muttered to Dorian. He simply squeezed my hand tighter, his smile growing bigger. I wasn't afraid of Ysabel, not at all. I didn't think for an instant she could hook Dorian back in, and magic-wise, she was no match for me. She'd actually helped teach me control of air and wind – her specialty – and I'd quickly surpassed her. Nonetheless, she was sharp-tongued; I was certain dinner with her would be an onslaught of snide and passive-aggressive remarks. Rurik's blunt nature made him good at throwing out barbs of his own, so I was hoping he might assist me. Once we sat down, though, I soon learned Ysabel wasn't the only one I had to worry about. Other nobles of no consequence were there, but a new face took precedence. Her name was Edria – and she was Ysabel's mother. She had an attractive, matronly look about her, though her hair and eyes were dark. Ysabel was blue-eyed with rich auburn hair that made her stunning. Ysabel's body went a long way to contribute to her allure as well. What the two women definitely had in common was a crafty, sly demeanor that told me both had few scruples when it came to furthering their own interests. And it was clear that my being with Dorian was not in their interests. In public, gentry etiquette dominated, and Edria was the picture of politeness. â€Å"Your Majesty, it is an honor.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said, settling next to Dorian on a very cozy and ornate love seat. It squeezed us together, something I knew he didn't mind as his eyes continued to rake over my body. Our legs were so near each other's that I made the concession of letting mine drape slightly over his. Our seat was pulled up close to the table, so the long, heavy tablecloth hid this boldness on my part – as well as the hand he rested on my thigh. â€Å"I'm surprised to see you here, Your Majesty,† said Ysabel demurely. With the way her breasts practically spilled out of her dress, I wondered how I could have felt self-conscious about my tight bodice. â€Å"I thought you were busy managing your land and your †¦ human matters.† â€Å"It's not surprising at all,† remarked Rurik, just before reaching for a giant drumstick. He took a huge, savage bite, but waited until he swallowed before continuing with the next remark. It was an improvement on past manners. â€Å"She and my lord can hardly stay away from each other.† I smiled at the use of â€Å"my lord.† Even after Dorian had sent Rurik to serve me, the soldier still thought of Dorian as his master. â€Å"Of course,† said Edria, rushing in when Ysabel's expression turned frosty. â€Å"It's just, from what we've heard, you aren't interested in these types of functions. Indeed, I hadn't expected to meet you in such †¦ lovely attire.† â€Å"Very lovely,† said Dorian. He'd dragged his eyes from me at last and gestured for a refill on his wine. I didn't necessarily like having my appearance discussed – even if the discussion was positive – but praising me gave me a boost in status. â€Å"I'm surprised you were surprised,† said Rurik, this time speaking with his mouth full. Well, we could only expect so much progress. â€Å"Everyone's heard how beautiful my lady is. Men far and wide want her, but of course, she would only accept the best for her consort. As would my lord.† From Rurik, this was almost charming, but not to the mother and daughter duo. â€Å"My understanding,† said Edria delicately, â€Å"is that more than your, eh, looks add to your appeal. You and your lady sister are both valued for your future children. I can already see she has a number of suitors.† I glanced across the room at Jasmine, sitting by Shaya. Jasmine had a genuine smile on her face, but whether it was from being out and about or because of the men who had gathered and seemed to be paying her compliments, I couldn't say. I forced away a frown. â€Å"My sister and I have no intention of having children,† I said, turning back to my companions. â€Å"How unfortunate,† said Edria. Her eyes darted ever so slightly toward Dorian. â€Å"How unfortunate for everyone.† â€Å"Your Majesty,† said Ysabel, â€Å"have you met my children?† I flinched in surprise. I'd forgotten she had kids. Mother and daughter might insinuate that the prophecy was half of my attractiveness, but I knew that Ysabel, after losing her husband, had come to Dorian's court seeking a powerful man through the use of both her beauty and her fertility. I followed her gaze toward a small table by the fireplace. Most of its occupants were young. It was like a kids' table at Thanksgiving. I hadn't seen many gentry children and could make a good guess at Ysabel's progeny based on their red hair. She confirmed as much. â€Å"That's my daughter, Ansonia.† In human years, I would have pegged Ansonia to be about ten or eleven. Her brilliant hair was piled in braids on her head, and she was giggling at a puppy that kept nudging her feet, undoubtedly seeking handouts. â€Å"Beside her is my son, Pagiel.† He was a serious-looking young man, contrasting sharply with his laughing sister. Relatively speaking, he looked a little older than Jasmine. His red hair was darker than Ansonia's, more like Ysabel's, and his blue-gray eyes regarded the puppy's antics critically, as though deciding if he approved. At last, a tiny smile appeared on his face, transforming him and making a couple of nearby girls his age sigh adoringly. Ysabel had clearly pointed her children out as a slam against me, yet I caught sincere affection in her eyes as she regarded the two. I'd always thought her coming to court to push herself off on some guy was bordering on prostitution, but there was more to the story. Her husband had died, leaving her family in financial trouble. It made her actions more understandable, though I still thought she was a bitch. â€Å"Children are such a joy,† said Edria, looking at Dorian again. I looked at him too as he gazed at Ansonia and Pagiel. Long study had taught me that his eyes held the secrets to his true feelings whenever he wore that lazy, mysterious expression of his. And now, hidden in those green depths, I could see the glint of admiration and longing. A strange feeling welled up in my stomach, and for the first time, I could honestly believe Dorian wanted kids with me just for the sake of parenthood and no other agenda. I felt unexpected guilt over this. As though reading my thoughts, he turned his attention on me. His smile warmed me, and whatever wistfulness his eyes had betrayed was replaced now with love – love quickly mingling with lust as he took in my appearance again. In fact, his desire seemed even stronger than it had been when I first entered, and I suddenly wondered if he'd make a serious attempt at exhibitionism after all. But no, with a deep breath that seemed to summon his control, he respectfully looked back at his guests. Yet, under the table, I felt the hand on my thigh tighten, his fingers sliding over the smooth silk of the dress. Chills ran over my flesh, but I also politely kept my attention on the others. â€Å"It was amazing how easily Ysabel conceived her children,† Edria continued. â€Å"If poor Mareth had lived, I have no doubt they'd have a dozen by now.† I considered pointing out that if Ysabel was so fertile, then she would have surely gotten pregnant when she and Dorian were lovers. It seemed in bad taste to me, so I said nothing. Such topics weren't out of line for gentry, however, and Rurik again jumped in to defend my honor and point out exactly what I'd been thinking. â€Å"But you've been with others since then,† he said. â€Å"And you haven't had any more children.† Dorian's hand began skillfully gathering the fabric of my dress's skirt so that it rose up my leg, soon bunching up and exposing my thigh altogether so that his fingers now touched bare skin. I had a feeling he wasn't paying much attention to the conversation anymore, despite a very convincing look of interest as he kept his eyes on everyone except me. Ysabel glared at Rurik. â€Å"I haven't had that many lovers.† Promiscuity wasn't an insult among gentry, but in this case, playing down her sex life was intended to explain why she had no other children. Meanwhile, Dorian's hand had moved to my inner thigh, slowly and carefully moving up so that he betrayed nothing to the others. When he reached my underwear, his fingers stopped, as though pondering this obstacle. I'd picked something thin and lacy, mostly to be alluring for later bedroom activities, but it apparently proved convenient now. He gripped the edges, braced a moment, and then jerked so hard that the fabric ripped. In the noisy room, no one heard, and I just barely swallowed a gasp. I gave him a small glare that he either ignored or didn't see. I suspected the former. â€Å"Sometimes the gods simply wait for the right opportunity – or rather, the right man.† Edria's eyes darted to Dorian who smiled at her winningly. His chin rested in the hand not under the table, his elbow propped up. â€Å"Clearly, Mareth was the right union then, and I'm sure the gods will smile approvingly on Ysabel's next husband.† Her tone and look left no question about who that would be. Rurik snorted in disgust. â€Å"I believe the gods have their hands in our affairs, but they're not interested in every detail – certainly not what goes on between the sheets.† Or under the table, apparently. Dorian's fingers, now with free access, slid all the way up between my legs. Whatever disapproval I wanted to convey was contradicted by how wet he found me. The inane smile he was giving Edria changed to something a bit more smug. With well-practiced skill, one of his fingers began stroking me, immediately finding the spot that ignited me and burned with pleasure. My heart rate sped up, both from arousal and from anxiety that someone would notice. Then, as though wanting to flaunt his audacity, he actually managed perfect conversation while still working to get me off. â€Å"Well, if Ysabel wants a new husband, we can certainly arrange that. I have a number of nobles who'd be happy to take her as a wife – or even a consort if she didn't wish to be tied down yet.† The teasing fingers between my legs had now set the rest of my body on fire. I felt my nipples hardening and regretted the thin silk of the dress. Fortunately, no one seemed to be paying attention to me, though that might change, seeing how quickly I was building to orgasm. Dorian's suggestion wasn't what Edria had wanted to hear, and the grateful expression she put on was clearly forced. â€Å"You're too kind, Your Majesty. But it would be so wasteful to give such a fertile woman to some minor lord. Surely a gift like Ysabel's deserves †¦ royalty.† The aching, tingling ecstasy created by his touch was ready to explode. And to my chagrin, I wanted it to. It was a need I had to have fulfilled. Completed. So, it was a shock when his finger moved down from my clit, sliding into me instead. It created a different kind of pleasure, but the move was frustrating, considering how close I'd been. I spread my legs slightly, giving permission for him to return, but he continued thrusting his finger into me. His motions grew harder and faster, but only the slightest movement of his body gave any sign of what he was doing, and no one seemed to pick up on it. There was something thrilling, something dangerously erotic about knowing he was doing this to me with so many potential witnesses. â€Å"You're right,† Dorian said, face turning serious, as though he was truly considering Edria's words. â€Å"And I know a couple of kings who might be interested. Rurik, do you remember †¦ does the Lotus King have a consort?† â€Å"I'm not sure,† said Rurik, clearly enjoying Dorian's game. â€Å"He's the one who has the gray streak down the middle of his beard, right? And the slightly pointed ears?† â€Å"That's the one,† replied Dorian. And then, without warning, Dorian's finger – so, so wet now – slid out and returned to my clit with such fierce rubbing that I came almost instantly. I'd been ready and aching, and that touch was all it took to push me over. My body twitched as waves of bliss radiated through me, and Dorian continued to stroke me, long after it was needed. At last, he pulled away and even went so far as to neatly pull my skirt back before returning his hand to his own lap. A very pleased smile tugged at his lips, though his attention was all on Ysabel. â€Å"Would you like me to make an introduction?† Her expression was cold, her response stiff. â€Å"You're too kind, Your Majesty. I'd hate to inconvenience you.† I hadn't paid much attention to her but realized now that she'd been paying attention to me. I was pretty sure she was the only one at the table who realized what had happened – and she wasn't happy about it. â€Å"No inconvenience at all,† he said. â€Å"I'll see what I can arrange.† Edria went out of her way to move conversation away from her daughter being hooked up with someone who wasn't Dorian. I barely heard any of it, and when dinner finally ended, I returned with Dorian to his room. My post-orgasm languor gave way to anger almost the moment he shut the door behind us. â€Å"What the hell do you think you were doing?† I exclaimed. â€Å"You had no right to do that!† Dorian made a scoffing noise as he carefully removed and folded his heavy cloak. â€Å"You didn't seem to mind. Besides, you're lucky that's all I did, what with you showing up without warning in that dress.† â€Å"Hey, I don't have to consult you on my fashion choices.† â€Å"No, but you should expect consequences.† He moved swiftly toward me, hands moving to my waist. â€Å"It was only out of respect for your silly human prudishness that I didn't just take you openly. Really, you should be grateful.† â€Å"Grateful?† I exclaimed. I sounded outraged, but in truth, the closeness of his body was arousing me again. Jesus. It was like I was always in heat. â€Å"Grateful,† he said, a glint of fierceness in his eyes. â€Å"Especially after the favor I did you. A favor you now need to repay.† The hold on my waist went tight, and he pushed me down onto the bed. I could easily have resisted – we both knew who'd win in a hand-to-hand fight – but I was more than willing to play this game, particularly when he swiftly pulled off his pants and showed the long, hard erection that had undoubtedly been ready to burst the moment he saw me in the dress. I was still wet from earlier and desperately wanted to feel him in me, thrusting as hard as he had with his finger. But to my surprise, it wasn't my legs he went for. Instead he came forward and knelt, one leg on each side of my head, and pushed himself between my lips. I made a sound of surprise at this, a sound muffled as he filled my mouth and began sliding in and out. He was so big, I could barely contain him. He knew and seemed to exalt in it, his eyes holding mine as he forced my mouth to pleasure him. â€Å"You can take it,† he said, pumping steadily. â€Å"You will take it. I told you: you owe me.† It was rough and fierce, but we both knew I didn't mind when Dorian played dominant. Besides, this change in our sex life was kind of a turn-on. Gentry, while not opposed to oral sex, almost always preferred intercourse because of their obsession with children. Somehow, the thought of him exploding in my mouth, on my lips, drove me wild. I could feel him swelling, see the lines of tension as his climax grew closer. His lips parted slightly, a small moan escaping. Then, just as I was certain he would come, he pulled out and shifted his body down and deftly pulled off my dress. With a tight grip on my legs, he pushed my thighs apart and thrust into me with a hardness that made me cry out and arch my body. It was only a few seconds, hard and fast, and then he came, his whole body spasming as he released himself into me, proving he still had the usual gentry urges. When he was finally spent, he collapsed beside me, sweating and panting. I found his hand, my own body exhausted for different reasons than his. I rolled against him, kissing his neck and tasting the salt of his skin. â€Å"I thought for sure you'd come in my mouth,† I murmured, letting my finger toy with his nipple. â€Å"Wasteful,† he murmured, running a hand over my hair. â€Å"Is it?† I pushed myself up, looking down into his eyes. I kept my voice low and dangerous. â€Å"Are you saying you wouldn't like that? Letting yourself come in my mouth, filling it up, forcing me to taste you †¦ swallow you? Or maybe you want to come on me? Spread yourself all over me?† There was a slight widening of his eyes, a rekindling of his desire. He gave me an enigmatic smile. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe next time.† I gave him a playful push. â€Å"Tease.† He yawned and took off his shirt. â€Å"It'll give you something to wonder about and look forward to, something more cheerful than the battle's outcome.† â€Å"What battle?† I asked. I'd been feeling tired too, but his words jolted me to alertness. â€Å"Tomorrow,† he said. He shifted me off of him so that he could pull the covers over us and then took me back into his arms. â€Å"I received word earlier about some Rowan movement tonight. I've sent an army to meet them, and I'll join them myself in the morning. It's near my villages at the river's bend. I think Katrice hoped to take them by surprise, but a spy tipped me off.† â€Å"Which army did you send?† We had them divided into units. â€Å"The first and third.† â€Å"Both?† I exclaimed. â€Å"That's huge.† He shrugged. â€Å"So is hers. We have to answer in kind. Besides, those villages are crucial. They supply a lot of food – to both of us.† I repressed a shiver. Those villages were full of civilians as well. Dorian's civilians, farmers and fishermen who could have been looted and killed if he hadn't gotten the warning. He and I were allies, but again, I couldn't shake the guilt of my own people being in danger over this dispute – let alone his. â€Å"I should go too,† I murmured. â€Å"I should help.† Dorian stroked my hair. â€Å"No need to put us both at risk. Besides, don't you have more mundane human tasks?† Yes, I'd promised Lara more jobs tomorrow. â€Å"They're not as important – not like this.† â€Å"Only one of us is needed,† he said firmly. â€Å"Honestly, probably not even that. We have good leaders, but the fact that one of us always shows up boosts our armies' confidence – and demoralizes hers. She won't set one dainty foot near the battlefield. So stop fretting. We'll take them. We have greater numbers.† He kissed the top of my head and took my silence as acquiescence. Soon, I felt him sleep, with that ease so many men possessed after sex. Not me. I was a longtime insomniac, and this was the kind of thing that could keep me up all night. I was tired of the armies endangering themselves. I was tired of Dorian endangering himself. I wanted the killing to stop. Kiyo had acted like it was so easy. If only that were true. After a while, I gave up on sleep altogether. I slid out of Dorian's arms and got up from the bed. Knowing my party would stay overnight, I'd packed casual clothes but nothing more. Searching through his wardrobe – twice the size of mine – I found a thick green satin robe. It was way too big but served fine as a cover-up. I left the room, needing to walk off my thoughts. The castle halls were silent now, all the revelers having gone to bed. I walked barefoot along the stone floor, trying not to trip over the too-long hem. A few stationed guards nodded as I passed, murmuring, â€Å"Your Majesty.† I'd long ago learned that while some of my human behaviors would always baffle the gentry, most of a monarch's actions – no matter how bizarre – weren't questioned. No one thought much of me wandering around in Dorian's robe. I reached a set of glass doors that led out to one of Dorian's exquisite courtyards. I knew it'd be chilly there, but sitting outside suddenly seemed like a good idea. Another guard stood there watchfully and opened the door at my approach. I knew this courtyard and knew where a gorgeously colored mosaic-tiled table stood in the corner. It was dull in the night, but as I sat in a chair, the spot gave me a good view of the garden and the thick stars above. Flickering torches set on poles were scattered around, just enough for guidance but not enough to ruin the night's charm. The beauty and peacefulness soothed me a little but couldn't shake away my worries about the war. I'd spent so much of my life fighting that I'd thought I was immune to blood and killing. I now knew there was a very big difference between an individual kill and death en masse. One – usually – had a point. An individual kill punished the guilty party. Armies dead on the battlefield punished no one except the innocent. â€Å"My lady Thorn Queen?† I jumped at the hissing voice that spoke to me from the darkness. At first I saw nothing and wondered if I had a ghost on hand. Then, a dark shape materialized from between some trees. It came closer, revealing a wizened gentry woman. She was small, shorter than Jasmine, but her white hair was thick and lustrous, her clothing rich. She came to a halt before me. â€Å"Who-who are you?† I asked. My words came out harsh, mostly because of my surprise. She took no offense. Again, a queen's behaviors weren't questioned. â€Å"My name is Masthera.† I shivered, not from the night's chill. There was something unsettling about her. â€Å"What are you doing out here?† â€Å"I've come to speak with you, Your Majesty. You're worried about the war. You want to end it.† â€Å"How do you know that?† She spread her hands out. â€Å"I am a seeress. I sense things that are, sometimes things to come. I also offer advice.† This chased a little of my fear away. â€Å"Seeress† was a fancy way of saying â€Å"psychic,† as far as I was concerned. When you dealt with the supernatural as often as I did, you ran into a lot of so-called psychics. Most were frauds, and I suspected that was as true among gentry as humans. â€Å"Have you come to offer me advice?† I asked wryly. Masthera nodded, face grave. â€Å"Yes, Your Majesty. I've come to tell you how to end your war – without any more bloodshed.†